Worst case of condensation?

[Janine]

My son and I went to look at an A class Pilote on a 14 plate this morning to replace the one he has. The layout works better for him with the drop-down bed. This is the one - https://www.autotrader.co.uk/motorhome-details/202210040403436

The seller is a caravan sales centre locally and the owner said that the asking price of £45,995 reflected the fact that the upholstery needed replacing and the van needed a good clean.

There were lots of tell-tale signs of adaptations by previous owners and a few blemishes, but they were largely cosmetic. I suspect that someone has been living in it and maybe not cherishing it. (I do have a theory….)

We pulled the bed down and were greeted with a ceiling which was literally dripping with water!

Obviously we have walked away from this one but do all vans with drop-down beds suffer like this in cold weather?

 

[Sandancers]

We have an electric bed which goes up to the ceiling, in winter we take all the bedding off it so the bed frame is about 3" from the ceiling. No condensation at all.

 

[pagey]

none in mine but mine is more in the middle of the van

 

[TOAD on Tour]

This just made me go and check!!! We have a 2015 Adria A Class with electric drop down double bed over the cab. We’ve had the van just over 1 year now and never lowered it……I just did and it’s clean as a whistle no sign of damp etc.

 

[Aspenshaw]

I'm on my third A-class with drop down bed. One a Niesmann& Bischoff Arto, and two Hymers. None of them suffered from condensation dripping for the ceiling or anywhere when the van is not being used - can get condensation when cooking if we don't open the windows.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[denisejoe]

We've had our A class since 2003 and no damp.

 

[BusyBuilder]

Hymer B544, no condensation in ours, we've had it 5 years

 

[ROCHESB]

Just checked our Itineo A-Class, it's bone dry.....

 

[Janine]

I wonder why this one was so bad?

The mattress must have been absolutely sodden although I didn’t feel inclined to touch it

 

[Guigsy]

We've got the same layout in our Geist i585 and the Roller Team Pegaso 590 is also similar. Really good use of space. Only downside is very little outside locker storage.

I've never had it get condensation above the bed. But we've got a small skylight up there which probably improves airflow. Yes, it's effectively blocked when the bed is up.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[dryad]

good grief janine, that is dreadful..
what did they say has caused that or did you just walk away without mentioning it to them..
such a shame as other than that it looked a nice van..

.

 

[Lenny HB]

Had a bit of condensation once on our last A Class above the bed on a cold evening when the heating was on full blast. Only ever had it the once.
Never had it on the current one.

I think there is another thread with the same problem on a Pilote.

 

[cliffanger]

My son and I went to look at an A class Pilote on a 14 plate this morning to replace the one he has. The layout works better for him with the drop-down bed. This is the one - https://www.autotrader.co.uk/motorhome-details/202210040403436

The seller is a caravan sales centre locally and the owner said that the asking price of £45,995 reflected the fact that the upholstery needed replacing and the van needed a good clean.

There were lots of tell-tale signs of adaptations by previous owners and a few blemishes, but they were largely cosmetic. I suspect that someone has been living in it and maybe not cherishing it. (I do have a theory….)

We pulled the bed down and were greeted with a ceiling which was literally dripping with water!

Obviously we have walked away from this one but do all vans with drop-down beds suffer like this in cold weather?

View attachment 712897

Ours never showed any signs of condensation - let alone that!

We used our van through some pretty cold spells, and I can’t remember ever seeing any signs at all.

You did well to walk away, I would have ran!

Hope Adam finds a van soon. x

 

[Janine]

good grief janine, that is dreadful..
what did they say has caused that or did you just walk away without mentioning it to them..
such a shame as other than that it looked a nice van..

.

They said it was normal in cold weather

 

[rb62]

Just to put another slant on it if they've had the van cleaned and used a steam cleaner thats exactly where condensation would form being a smooth surface and the thinnest insulation especially at this time of year and with the bed up,no heating and least ventilation.
What did the van smell like when you went in?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Guigsy]

Just to put another slant on it if they've had the van cleaned and used a steam cleaner thats exactly where condensation would form being a smooth surface and the thinnest insulation especially at this time of year and with the bed up,no heating and least ventilation.
What did the van smell like when you went in?

Agreed. The moulded section above the windscreen has very little insulation, so will get cold. Combined with the poor airflow due to the raised bed. That's where you'd expect condensation to form if it was damp. But why was it damp? Cleaning would cause it. But do might a leak.

 

[Janine]

Just to put another slant on it if they've had the van cleaned and used a steam cleaner thats exactly where condensation would form being a smooth surface and the thinnest insulation especially at this time of year and with the bed up,no heating and least ventilation.
What did the van smell like when you went in?

Unfortunately I don’t have much of a sense of smell nowadays so I don’t know.

There was mould on the curtain sides and in a recess over the bed so I am guessing that it’s not something that has just happened.

 

[rb62]

Agreed. The moulded section above the windscreen has very little insulation, so will get cold. Combined with the poor airflow due to the raised bed. That's where you'd expect condensation to form if it was damp. But why was it damp? Cleaning would cause it. But do might a leak.

I wouldn't have expected a leak to form beading like that,I'd say it's come from moisture in the air condensating,as to where that's come from

 

[dryad]

I wouldn't have expected a leak to form beading like that,I'd say it's come from moisture in the air condensating,as to where it's come from

my thoughts are that its come from a sodden bed, no way could that bed be dry, but how did the bed get so wet in the first place..........
thats the number one question..

.

 

[rb62]

my thoughts are that its come from a sodden bed, no way could that bed be dry, but how did the bed get so wet in the first place..........

.

The mind boggles

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[brynric]

Our Pilote A class has no damp but the bed in the raised position allows no ventilation to the roof above the cab.
We always leave the bed down a little when in storage and we always bring the bed down half an hour before bedtime in the winter to let some heat circulate.

 

[ontheroadagain]

That seller has a YouTube channel. I think this is the same motorhome.

 

[Janine]

That seller has a YouTube channel. I think this is the same motorhome.

Yes it is. We watched that before we went to see it. It’s only a few miles away from home.

 

[iandsm]

It's interesting that the seller's photos do not show the bed in the pulled down position, I wonder why.

 

[TUCANO]

Never had any problem with three similar layout vans, two Hymers and my present Pilote, always drop the bed 30 mins-ish before going to bed in the winter and whilst the van is in storage leave the bed down and the mattress pulled half way off the slats resting on the seat backs.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[PaulOH]

Might someone have been using a gas bottle heater in the van instead of the inbuilt vented or electric heating?

As a much younger person in a caravan, I recall very similar looking condensation from the use of a heater like that - they give off great heat but it is positively wet and the water condenses on any cold surface.

Never had any problem with three similar layout vans, two Hymers and my present Pilote, always drop the bed 30 mins-ish before going to bed in the winter and whilst the van is in storage leave the bed down and the mattress pulled half way off the slats resting on the seat backs.

good old fashioned and effective air-flow ventilation advice!

 

[Janine]

Might someone have been using a gas bottle heater in the van instead of the inbuilt vented or electric heating?

As a much younger person in a caravan, I recall very similar looking condensation from the use of a heater like that - they give off great heat but it is positively wet and the water condenses on any cold surface.



good old fashioned and effective air-flow ventilation advice!

That fits in with my theory of the previous owners.

 

[The Coops]

As an A class Pilote owner I do as others do and when leaving the van drop the bed down for air circulation and lift the rear mattresses, the condensation is a result of poor circulation and the mattress acts as a thermal barrier drawing in the cold, there is an adjustable strap to hold the bed up, it needs to be set for a few inches more travel than tight against the roof and then no problem

 

[Lyrick]

There are a few owners mentioning condensation on the Pilote Owners Facebook forum. Some without dropdown beds.

 

[Simon Meadwell]

Mine was like that in the cold spell before Christmas. Classic sign of condensation when water beads like that, not damp as in water ingress. Easily cured by ventilation i hadnt left my skylight open. Also caused mould on the blinds easily removed with hg mould spray. Also drop the bed down on the adjustable strap.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}